Every first Monday in May, I punch in to my unofficial job: tracking every Met Gala look the second it hits the carpet (or the Mark Hotel entrance, if you’re a real one). People were fully committed to this year’s theme, “Costume Art,” and dress code, “Fashion Is Art,” channeling iconic works and bringing them to life. But the after-parties? The outfits were just as strong. And if you were paying attention, one trend kept popping up on repeat: sheer lace dresses.
Style muses Tate McRae, Charli XCX, Laura Harrier, and Alex Consani all leaned into sheer lace for their post-Met festivities. Consider me influenced! Sheer lace just shot to the top of my summer party uniform.
The lingerie-inspired look is a little cheeky but still feels elevated, with intricate lacework and detailing taking center stage. Most of them hit knee-length, which lines up perfectly with the tailored, pencil-skirt silhouettes that have been trending lately.
It's also an easy outfit formula—sheer lace is inherently statement-making, so there's no need to pile anything on top of it. The styling at the after-parties reflected that: pared-back jewelry, simple shoes, and relaxed hair, letting the dress be the focus.
And for summer (especially with a coastal Italy trip on my calendar!), a lace dress feels like the perfect night-out style choice. It’s playful, yet romantic, and still looks put-together. Naturally, I went on the hunt for one of my own and immediately stopped in my tracks when I found a $20 version from Old Navy.
The top isn’t fully sheer, which I actually prefer—I get the look without feeling totally exposed. It also hits right at the knee. Add some tall heeled boots for an edgier moment, or a pair of kitten heels if you want to dress it up. And the price tag (aka two iced coffees)? That’s what really sold me!
Shop some of my other favorite sheer lace dresses!
Megan Uy is an associate shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, where she searches for the best products in all things fashion, home, beauty, sex, gifts, and more, so you don’t have to. When she’s not writing for the site, she’s whipping up some cool and trendy content for the fashion section of the print magazine. She’s been with the brand since 2019 (when she was an itty-bitty editorial fellow), and she's also written for Delish, House Beautiful, and People. Follow her on Instagram to get some BTS of the editor life and chaotic NYC content. Also, feel free to hit her up if you ever wanna discuss the madness that is TikTok.
